Gardaí have issued a “zero tolerance” warning to anyone caught breaking traffic laws during this weekend’s Donegal Motor Rally.
Officers have warned they will be clamping down on speeding and drink and drug driving in particular along with other motoring offences.
Thousands of fans and enthusiasts from all over Ireland are expected to converge on the county for the rally, one of the biggest events in the Irish motorsport calendar. While hugely popular, the annual rally has also resulted in the past in practices which road authorities say leave a “negative impact” on the county. Stages of the rally will take place throughout the county from Friday until Sunday.
Co Donegal’s Road Safety Working Group warned that while genuine motorsport fans would be welcome, those people whose “driving and behaviour leaves a lasting negative impact” were not.
Garda Inspector Seamus McGonigle called on parents to ensure their sons and daughters had“sufficient driving experience” and did not use vehicles which were not roadworthy. Inspector McGonigle warned particularly about drink and drug driving, speeding and driving without seatbelts.
“High speed sport takes place in a controlled environment with all the protections in place. Unfortunately, there is a small minority who drive dangerously, have no interest in the rally and are putting their lives and lives of other road users in danger,” the garda officer said.
Chris Harley, Donegal County Council’s road safety officer, said those watching the rally should do so from safety areas. He appealed to all rally fans to be cautious and to drive responsibly.
“The Gardaí will be out in force this weekend and we support them in taking a zero tolerance with anyone showing disregard for the rules of the road,” he said.
Mr Harley pointed out that there have been 78 fatalities so far this year on the Republic’s roads with two people killed in Co Donegal in the same period.
